Dental device



NOV. 24, n E W, BYRS 1,833,671

DENTAL DEVICE Filed Deo. 5, 1950 Ed INVVEPJTR C11 ya Ps BYHf//M VCL/ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 24, 1931 'PATENT OFFICE W. BYARS, OF GOSHEN,INDIANA DENTAL DEVICE pplic-aton filed. December 5, 1930. Serial No.500,211.

Y The main object of this invention isto provide a dental device adaptedto containor house a spool or skein of dental kfloss and to effectivelylsupport a section of the floss for A furtherobject is to provide adevice having these advantages which is very economi- Y cal in its partsand at the same time is attractive in appearance. Y

10 Objects'pertaining to details and economies of Amy invention willdefinitely appear from the description tol follow. The invention isdefined in the claims. Y

' A structurel embodying the features of my -15 invention is clearlyillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

' Fig. 1 is a side .elevation of my dental device, parts beingv brokenaway to show structural details thereof, partially sectioned on '20 line1-1 of Figs. 2 and'3.

Fig. 2 isa detail view mainly in section on .line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the capbeing removed.

..Fig. 3 is a detail section online 3-3 of Figi-2. y l 25- Fig. .4 isaperspective view of a carton or fcontainer lfor the spool of dentalfloss. f, fFig. 5 vis a side elevation partially in section of amodified form or embodiment of my invention as formedv of metal.

T30 Fig. 6 is 'a side elevationpartially in section of a slightly modiedform or embodi- -ment of my invention when formed ofl metal. MyvimprovedV Vdental device comprises a f'container consisting yofatubular cylindrical body portion 1 anda flattened head portion .2 havingspaced arms'or forks 3. This container is formed of longitudinally splitsections, the embodimentshown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 being molded from somenon-metallic ma- 'terial lsuch as bakelite. These sections aredesignated generally by the numerals 4 and 5. The Asection 4 has apostor stud (isecured to the head portion thereof toproject centrallyofa hole 7' vformed in the section 5. The arm portions 8 of thesection 5have lonif gitudinal channels 9 therein adapted to re- :ceive thecentralA longitudinal rib portions 10 .I ofthe arm portions 11 of thesection 4. These rib portions 10 vhave `central longitudinal`fgro'ovesf12 therein forming'passages for the other.

' stitutes a friction member.

floss or thread designated by the numeral 13 from the interior of thehead to the ends of the' arms. The thread is rove outwardly through onearm and inwardly through the In the embodiment illustrated the sectionsare detachably held in assembled relation by means of the'cap 14 whichis sleeved upon the ends of the handle or body portion 1. I also`preferably provide a cap 15 which is adapted G0 to slip over the arms,protecting the arms and passages therein and also that portion of thedental floss extending-between the arms. f

The skein of dental floss indicated at 16 is preferably placed in acarton or capsule-l 65 like container 17 arranged'within the bodyportion of the device as shown in Fig. 1. The container hasa hole 18 ,inone end through which the dental iioss is passed. This container servesto protect the dental floss from-7n dust which might enter through thejoint between the sections, particularly where the device is carried ina pocket.

To tension the thread I arrange a pair of tension disks 19 and 20 on thestud 6, the thread'being passed between these disks and between the diskand the face of the internal enlargement 21 on the member 4 which con-The tension adjusting nut 22 is threaded on the studs it being 48odisposed through the hole 7 so that the desired friction or tension isapplied to the thread to hold it in its adjusted -position for use.These tension or friction disks are preferably non-circular so that theydo not rotate 3 on the stud, the upper edges of the disk being soarranged in relation to the wall of the head as to prevent rotation, seeFig. 1.. Where the disks are permitted to rotate there is a tendency forsuch rotation to work the thread.- from beween them. y

The thread from the skeinis passed between yone pair of frictionsurfaces and over the stud, out through one of the arms, across tor-theother, inwardlyl through the other arm and between the other frictionsurfaces, preferably above the stud, and out through a hole 23. kAthread'cutter 24 is provided on the member 14 so that the used floss canbe readily severed, at the same time leaving a free end of 1100 In themodification shown in Fig. 5 the sections 25 and 26 are formed as sheetmetal stampings, tubes 27 being inserted in thearms 28 of the holder toprovide the thread passages 29. v Y l Y In'the modiiication shown inFig. 6 the parts'fare lmade of sheet metalstampings 30 :and 8l, the:armsBQ being .adapted-*to receive tips 33 cf :b afkelite or `othernon-metallic ma- :teri-afl. 'Tension ldisks are Aprovided and functionas described. Therefore, they are not illustrated. .i

Ifhave A.not attempted .to illustrate or describe certain otherembodiments' or .adaptations as it is believed that :this disclosureyWill enable @those skilled 5in the art to embody or adapt myimprovements as may bedesired. Y

VHaving thus described y'my invention what I claim .as new and .desire*to secure' iby Letters Patent is: f

LLI-n a dental device, .the combination Vof a container comprising acylindrical tubular body portion adapted as a handle and a chamberedhead portion having spaced tubular arms', said container being formed ofcomplementarylongitudinal sections, a cap removably engaging the innerend .of said container for"'fretaining the sections in assembledrelation, thebody portion of said container lbein-g adapted to receiveaspool, a stud Within said head, tension disks arranged on said Vstud'Within :the head and adapted toreceive the thread between them, said`head havinga hole adjacent ythe tension disks through which the threadmay be passed, and a tension -adjusting ,member threaded yupon s aidstud tocoact With said-disks.

y2.' In `a dental device,the combinaiton .of tir-container comprising a.cylindrical tubular body portion adapted as a handle-and a V`chamberedhead portion having spaced tubular arms, said container being formedOfcomplementa-ry longitudinal sections, l Vtension disks-arranged onsaid stud Within lthe head andjad'apted toreeeive `the thread betweenthem, sai-d head havingfa hole adjacent .the

tension disks through which the thread may be passed,':and la tensionadjusting member 'threaded upon said stud V.to coact with said disks. LY f:

- In a dental device, the combination lof a container comprising Vacylindrical tubular body/.portion `adapted as a handle and a chamberedhead portionhavin-g spaced tubu- "laI-r arms, said container beingformed of complementary longitudinal sections, a cap removably sleevedupon the innerend of said container for retaining the sections inassembled relation, the body portion of said container being adapted toreceive a spool, and a thread tensioning means Within said head, saidhead having a hole adjacent the tensioning means through which thethread may be passed.

4;. In a dental device, the combination oi a container, comprising acylindrical tubular body *portion adapted as a handle and a cllemberedhead portion having spaced tub`ular arms, said container being formed ofcomplementary longitudinal sections, tubes arranged Within said'arms,means for retain- -ing :the sections inlasselnbled relatOn', the bodyportion ofsaid container being adapted to .receive a spooL-and .aI`thread tensioning Lmea-ns within said head, saidhead 'hang :a

hole adjacent the tensioningmeans through'` `which the thread maybepassed.-V

:5. Inadental device, the combination of a container compri-singacylin-drical 4tubular body portion adapted as a handleeandaahm- :beredheadportion :having spaced tubular arms, said container being formed ofcomple- Zmentary sections, one of thek head `portions having a hole inthe sidethereof; and the other a stud alined With-.said hole, :atensioning diskv nonrotatab'ly .supported by said stud,

a tension adjusting 'member VAcoasting with said-tension disks, oneof:said head members having a hole therein through Whichzthe thread may bepassed so that the thread 'may be disposed through the arms and between-saiddis'ks With vits :free end through said hole.

6. Inv a dental device, the combination of :a container adapted toreceive :a spcolfand having spaced tubular arms through which a threadmay be passed, tensionjdisks .arranged side by side vWithin .saidcontainer between the spool receivingfportion thereofv 'and thesaidarmS, and adjustable means for reglulating the tension :ofsaid-disks.-

"7. JIn -adentalfde-vice, thecombination of a Acontainer adapted-.toreceive .ar-spool and :ha-ving spaced tubular arms, ltension ldisks dis-`posed fbetwen the spoo'lucontainer 4and-the arms, and means :externally.of 'the .container for regulatingthe-tensionof the tension 'disks 8.'in' a dental -devicefthe combination of a conta-inercomprising Yatubular body porl tion' vadapted as a '.handleand a -chanrbered headportion having spacedvtubu-lar farms, said-container being formed ofcomplementary longitudinal sections, ,a 'cap removably sleeved upontheinner end `of the container for retaining the sectionsin assen'lbledlrelation, the `cap Vbeing provided with a `thi-cad cutter. Y v

9.-. Ina ldental dev-ice, the. :combination y:of a containervicomprising:a tubularbody portion adapted :as :a handle, and aichambered head portion 'hav-ing spaced tubular arms, said containerbeing formedv of complementary longitudinal sections, and a capremovably sleeved upon the inner end of the container for retaining thesections in assembled relation.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

EDGAR W. BYARS.

